Gene Bleymaier

* Here’s an early version of a story I wrote for Thursday’s Mercury News and our Bay Area News Group publications that examines San Jose State’s long, arduous, critically important and ultimately successful climb into the Mountain West — a move that could very well be the most important development in the history of Spartan athletics // …

San Jose State opens conference play this week against an opponent it has faced eight years in a row and 35 times in all — but never like this.

The Friday night duel with Utah State is the Spartans’ first Mountain West Conference game and comes 17 months after their dramatic escape from the Western Athletic Conference.

“We were holding our breath,” said Mike MacIntyre, the Spartans’ coach at the time.

“I remember thinking that we weren’t getting into the Mountain West, and then all of a sudden we were. If we hadn’t gotten in, that might have been it for football.”

That didn’t take very long. What was it? Six days and however-many-hours from the time Mike MacIntyre left for Colorado to the time SJSU reached agreement with his successor, Ron Caragher.

Then again, it shouldn’t have taken long. MacIntyre was a warm commodity in mid-November and turned hot after the Spartans beat BYU and Louisiana Tech.

From a practical if unofficial standpoint, SJSU athletic director Gene Bleymaier had weeks to get his short list in order.

(I don’t think MacIntyre was desperate to leave, not by any stretch. But how do you turn down $10 million and a Pac-12 job, however difficult that job may be.)

*** Bleymaier could have hired Kent Baer, who ran the SJSU defense, or former offensive coordinator John DeFilippo, whose schemes and terminology were the backbone of the high-scoring attack this season.

(Look for Baer to follow MacIntyre to Colorado. Same with playcaller Brian Lindgren.)

*** The Merc has been experiencing problems with its blogs, which is why this story has been online for hours but is only now getting posted on the Hotline. (For columnist Mark Purdy’s view on the Bleymaier hire, go here.)

My initial thoughts:

* Bleymaier was extremely well-respected in collegiate athletics before Boise State’s issues with the NCAA, and he remains well regarded. Many college officials I know look at BSU and figure the violations could happen anywhere — that they aren’t a direct reflection on Bleymaier’s leadership.

* While I agree that the Broncos are hardly alone in running afoul of the rule book, Bleymaier was responsible for a program that was charged with lack of institutional control. It’s on him. And if SJSU ends up with NCAA investigators on campus, it’ll be heck to pay for Bleymaier (and President Mohammad Qayoumi.)

* That said, Bleymaier brings a lot to the table. After many years in the dumps, the Spartans have a nice foundation — the academics are in order, the budget is balanced, out-of-state recruiting is in place, facility upgrades are in the works, football is on the uptick, the Mountain West is 13 months away — and Bleymaier could very well continue the momentum.